iOS 18 reportedly limiting iPhone display refresh rate to 80Hz — here’s the proof

It’s been an unpleasant couple of days for iPhone 16 Pro owners. Yesterday, we reported an issue involving dead spots on the iPhone 16 Pro touchscreen. Following that kerfuffle, iPhone users claim their device is limited to an 80Hz refresh rate when it is supposed to run at a silky smooth 120Hz.

The report comes from prominent smartphone leaker Ice Universe on X, who posted a video demonstrating the screen refresh rate issue. They used a refresh rate counter, visible in the shot the whole time, to track everything. It appears that the phone isn’t running at its promised 120Hz throughout the video.

Ice Universe noted that while iOS 18 offers elegance and animation fluency, it’s running slower than it should be. “For example, the animation of iOS 18 is still elegant, but it is not smooth. Anyone can feel that iOS 18 still limits the refresh rate of most scenes to 80Hz,” said the tipster. 

They even claimed that the limited refresh rate is one of the reasons they’re reluctant to switch to an iPhone 16 Pro Max as their primary phone. “For Android users who are used to 120Hz, iOS 18 looks not smooth. This is why it is difficult for me to use iPhone 16 Pro Max as the main mobile phone.” 

Apple allegedly made this change to save battery life with iOS 18, but nothing is confirmed. If it turns out this report is true, we think throttling the screen refresh rate should be an option, not a default change to the device — especially when some users consider 120Hz a considerable deal for overall device feel and usability.

It’s also important to note that while you can see the frame counter in the video, Apple hasn’t confirmed this, so take it with a grain of salt. However, if scrolling in iOS 18 feels a bit more sluggish, this change could be why. We’ve contacted Apple for comment and will update this article should we receive a response.

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